Bittersweet Chocolate Cake
by GrayBlueSky
Summary: She was slowly melting the ice around his heart. And he didn't think he'd be able to stop her, not much longer anyways. Some NaLu and hinted Jerza.
1. A Bittersweet Valentine's Day

_Disclaimer: Fairy Tail is owned by Hiro Mashima!_

* * *

 **Bittersweet Chocolate Cake**

 _Love is bittersweet, it's up to you to make it bitter or sweet._

Not all stories have happy endings. Happy endings aren't real endings. That's just cruel reality. At least, that's what Gray thought.

Gray yawned as he sat at an empty table at the Fairy Tail guild. It had been unusually peaceful at the guild, granted Natsu was out on a mission with Lucy and Happy.

Staring at the pink and red decorations, Gray sighed. That morning, as he walked into the guild, he had stopped wide eyed as he regarded the guild. Mira had taken it to herself to decorate the entire guild for Valentine's day. She wanted to have a party at the guild. Gray rolled his eyes. This party was just Mira's way to try to set everyone up. And he could already guess who she was planning to set him up with.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted her. Juvia was standing behind a pillar, peeking at him shyly. Gray sighed. She did this regularly, he was kind of used to it. But it still bugged him, maybe even annoyed him. He didn't get her. Not at all. He just didn't understand why she was so infatuated with him. What was so special about him?

Nothing much, really. At least, that's what he thought. But not Juvia.

They were friends. Well, Gray at least saw her as a friend. Juvia already pictured them having 30 raven haired babies. Gray shuddered.

Stalking him was uncalled for. They were guildmates. She could just come to his table and sit down. She didn't need to be standing behind a pillar and watch his every move.

He caught her eyes as she stared at him and her eyes widened, shrieking as she hid behind the pillar again. He sighed again. She was very timid when she wanted to be.

She'd proven she could be so strong and independent. She didn't need him. He didn't deserve her. He was always a jerk to her. So why did she still want him, and only him? He didn't know.

Erza, Lucy, and even Natsu, had all come up to him before, telling him to give Juvia a proper response to her feelings, to not lead her on. He had tried, plenty of times. But she was persistent. And also… there was just a part of him that didn't want to let her go… He just… didn't think he was good enough for her. Things never turned out right with him. He didn't want to hurt her…. He didn't want to lose her.

Shaking his head, Gray groaned at his thoughts.

He didn't feel for her what she felt for him, but… It was weird but he knew she was special to him. That's all. She was nakama. And it couldn't go past that. It just couldn't… Because all who got too close to him… They would all sacrifice themselves for him. He couldn't bare seeing anyone else die for him. He just couldn't.

Gray knew exactly how Juvia felt for him. She loved him. It was pretty obvious, even if she didn't go around professing her love for him every chance she got. He'd have to be a complete idiot if he didn't know, and that title was already reserved for the biggest idiots of them all- Natsu Dragneel. Gray felt kinda bad for Lucy.

"Oi, Juvia! You can sit down, you know." He called out, her hands showing as she held onto the pillar.

She peeked her head from behind the pillar, her eyes wide and cheeks flushed a dark red. Slowly, her eyes brightened and a wide smile formed on her lips, nodding enthusiastically. "O-okay, Gray-sama!"

Juvia had been instantly beside him. She glanced his way, and as soon as his deep blue eyes caught hers, she looked away.

"Juvia wants to ask Gray-sama something." She suddenly stated and Gray raised an eyebrow. "Alright… What is it?"

Her face immediately flushed, and she looked down at the table instead of at him. "What is Gray-sama doing for Valentine's day?!"

He stared at her for a few seconds, not saying anything, before he sighed and answered, "Nothing." He turned to stare out of one of the guild's windows. "I have no interest in such a holiday."

He really didn't. He thought Valentine's day was a stupid excuse of a holiday. What was so important or special about it? Who came up with it? Someone who needed to get people to buy chocolates on some random day.

Juvia's eyes widened and she then asked, "W-would it be okay if Juvia gave Gray-sama something on that day?"

Gray looked back at her, eyes softening as he shook his head. "You don't have to give me anything, Juvia."

He started to stand up, wanting to go out for some fresh air, but stopped when Juvia called out, "But Juvia wants to give Gray-sama something! Juvia wants to tell Gray-sama-"

Turning back around to her, Gray afforded her with a small smile. "Please don't waist your time on me, Juvia. I don't deserve it."

Juvia blinked up at him, utterly confused and broken, and Gray frowned, turning around and resuming his walk towards the guild doors.

He stepped out into the crisp evening air, closing his eyes as the evening breeze blew past him. He definitely was a jerk. He had hurt Juvia once again. But he had done it to keep her away from him. Because if she got too close to him, if he opened his heart to her, then she'd definitely get hurt, some way or another. And he didn't want that.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Gray walked away from the guild. He walked through the streets of Magnolia absentmindedly, without knowing where exactly he had planned to go. To his apartment? Yeah… Maybe that would be a good idea. That way, maybe he could get her off his mind for just a while.

As he walked by himself, he noticed couples walking past him, laughing and holding hands. Looking away, he sighed. What was it like? To have someone you love… He groaned. He was getting weird thoughts again.

He stopped when he realized he had reached Market Street. There were plenty of people, all passing past him as they hurried onto the next stand. Most were women who were buying chocolates, or the ingredients they would need to make their special someone some kind of chocolate treat. Gray sighed. Of course a place like this would be full of people, Valentine's day was just a couple of days away.

Walking down the street, Gray's eyes drifted lazily across each shop's display on the table posted outside. There were other men stopping at similar shops, eyeing the jewelry. He picked up a thin silver bracelet and turned it between his fingers. However, he placed it back down as soon as a silver necklace with a small, simple clear teardrop crystal caught his eye. His fingers gravitated toward it.

Gray held up the necklace, dangling it from his fingers. He watched the clear teardrop crystal swing before his eyes in a hypnotic momentum. It reminded him of her. This necklace, it would definitely suit Juvia.

He studied the necklace one last time before looking away and placing it back from where he had picked it up. There was no way he was going to buy that necklace for her. He would just get her hopes up and she would think that he had finally reciprocated her feelings. He just couldn't do that to her. Not when his feelings for her were still so… complicated.

Just as he had placed the necklace back down, the women that run the shop walked up to him, a small smile on her lips as she regarded him. "Would you like to buy this for your special girl, sir?"

Gray blinked at her. He had actually considered it. A part of him wanted to buy it for Juvia. Shaking his head, he muttered, "No, I don't have anyone like that."

The woman frowned and he turned around, leaving the shop and continuing on to next. He rapped his knuckles against his temple as he walked around the next shop, staring blankly at the displays. He really didn't understand why he had thought of her. Why he suddenly couldn't stop thinking about her. This, however, was nothing new. It sometimes happened. Times in which he felt something for her, something that hadn't been there before. A feeling he had never felt for anyone else. He knew it wasn't love, but… He just couldn't give it a name.

He sighed and stuffed his hands on his pants' front pockets. That's when he saw a head of familiar blonde hair. She was at the next shop, buying ingredients for some kind of recipe, checking off what she had from a list. Gray chuckled as he watched another familiar girl. The short, blue haired girl was running up to the blonde, exclaiming, "I found it, Lu-chan!"

It hadn't taken long for them to notice him. He had just started making his way up to them, when Lucy's brown eyes looked up and caught his. She grinned and waved at him as she yelled, "Hey Gray!"

Levy also turned towards him, waving and then turning back around to ask the owner of the shop for the ingredients to make dark chocolate.

"I'm guessing you and that fire breathing bastard just got back from your job?" He looked down at Lucy and she nodded. Staring at the bag she held onto, Gray asked, "What're you girls doing?" Lucy blushed, looking down as she held tightly onto the brown paper bag.

Grinning from ear to ear, Levy walked up to them holding a bag of her own. She looked up at Gray and answered, "We're going to make chocolates for Valentine's day! We want to surprise the guys we like!"

Lucy glared down at her book loving friend and Levy giggled sheepishly.

Raising an eyebrow at her, Gray watched as Lucy looked to the side and muttered, "You better not mention this to anyone." She looked up at him then, her cheeks a bright red, and he gave her a knowingly smile. "And less to Natsu."

Chuckling, Gray shook his head and then, finally, nodded. "My lips are sealed."

"Are you looking for something to buy for Juvia?" Levy suddenly questioned and Gray's eyes widened. Lucy stared down at Levy, glancing up at Gray before she cleared her throat and gave Levy a pointed look.

Seeming to finally understand the inappropriateness of her question, Levy's eyes widened. "Sorry!" She exclaimed almost immediately. She smiled apologetically and then looked down in what appeared to be shame. "That's none of my business."

Gray looked away and sighed. "Don't sweat it, Levy. It' alright." He looked down at his boots as he muttered, "I'm just on my way to my apartment."

Lucy nodded. "Okay! We'll see you tomorrow at the guild?"

He nodded and Lucy smiled. She pulled Levy with her, waving as she took off to another shop.

Sighing, Gray turned away from the shops and went off towards the path that led to his apartment.

Once he got there, he plopped down on his bed, his arms crossed behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. Closing his eyes, he began to picture Ur and Ultear, two women that had given their lives in order to save his. He had caused Ur's death. It had been because of his stupidity, because of his rage, because of his urge for revenge, that Ur- his dear mentor- had died. She died protecting him and Lyon. It was something he would always regret. And his daughter… She had also died, saving him.

He knew Ultear had done it to save everyone, but he still felt guilty.

He had died. It was weird, but he could still see and feel it happening. It was all so quick. In a way, it felt like a nightmare. Sometimes he would wake up in the middle of the night, breathing hard, thinking about it, seeing it happen all over again. But in his dreams, he wasn't quick enough, and it was Juvia instead of him that would get blasted by the hatched eggs of the dragons. He'd wake up shaking, his hands bawling up with frustration and dread. He knew then, that he couldn't lose Juvia. He just couldn't. It had hurt too much seeing her die before him in his dreams. He felt useless and powerless. He had to protect her. And that's exactly why he closed himself to her.

If it came to it, he was certain Juvia would too give up her life to save his. And that was something he would not allow.

Standing up, he walked over to his dresser, unconsciously undoing his shirt as he made his way to it. He then opened the first drawer, moving a few shirt out of the way until he found what he'd been looking for. He took out the grey scarf and smiled at it. Juvia had gifted it to him, for their 413th day anniversary. He had been an ass to her that day, when he had refused to take her gift and then commented on how meaningless a date like that was. He had hurt her, but he had been hurting that day, it being Ur's death anniversary, and being his selfish self, he hadn't thought about her feelings, just his.

But he'd realized in the end what he had done and he had gone back to dig it from the snow, where Juvia had left it. He had stared thoughtfully at it- as he was now- and then he had put it on. He would never admit it to anyone, but it became one of his most precious belongings. He treasured it. It was warm. It was special.

Smiling down at it, Gray remembered Erza mentioning that Juvia had spent an entire day knitting that scarf for him. She expected him to treasure it, and he would.

Closing his drawer, Gray sighed and closed his eyes. He had let her down more than once, hurting her when he tried to shut himself from her. But somehow, she always managed to make him open up to her. Even when he tried hard not to. That's what scared him about her. That she'd continue finding ways to his heart.

Looking out his window, Gray frowned as he stared at the clouded sky. If he continued to shut her out, wouldn't she just find someone that truly treasured her? His hands curled up into fists by his sides. Why did he care so much if he didn't love her? He didn't know. But it bothered him picturing Juvia with someone else. He didn't want that… because she belonged beside him. He knew that much. He was incredibly selfish, though. Because he didn't love her, yet he didn't want anyone else to have her.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he let out a sigh. Maybe he should start listening to Erza. Maybe he should just let go and see where it goes with Juvia. Maybe giving her a chance would be good for the both of them.

Juvia was the only one that could melt the ice around his heart. He was certain of that. Because, slowly, she had been getting through his walls, and he didn't think he'd be able to stop her from getting closer to him much longer. She was special to him, he'll admit that much. A little intense with her feelings, but still a very special girl. He just wasn't ready to admit that to anyone, and less to her.

Not just yet.

* * *

Gray arrived at the guild a little earlier than usual the next day. Mira and Lisanna had ran passed him at the entrance, both of them carrying huge paper bags that Gray could only assume were filled with the ingredients necessary for all the chocolate treats they'd be preparing for tomorrow's Valentine's day party. And also for the girls that would be baking some chocolate treat for their loved ones.

Shaking his head, Gray grinned as he watched the two of them run into the kitchen, Kinana sweat dropping from behind the bar counter as Mira ordered Elfman to help her carry the rest of the bags.

Sitting at an empty table on the middle of the guild, Gray watched people walk in and out of the guild, debating whether or not to walk over to the request board. Kinana then walked up to him and he ordered a glass of water, with extra ice. Kinana giggled, stating that she'd be right back with that.

It was well after Kinana had placed his glass of water on the table, that Erza joined him.

"You seem a little out of it." She noted, watching him stare down at the table with a hard look.

"Just got a lot of things on my mind." He muttered and she smiled.

"Could it be about Juv-"

Before she could finish that though, Mira came to their table and said, "Here's the strawberry cake you ordered, Erza!"

Erza's eyes brightened, not at all bothered by Mira's interruption. "Thank you."

Mira giggled, and then turned to Gray, asking if he wanted anything else. He ordered a lemonade and she winked at him, saying that she'd be right back. He doubted that, watching as she disappeared behind the doors leading to the guild's kitchen, where girls were running in and out of, preparing their chocolates for tomorrow.

Gray sighed, glad Erza was distracted with her cake. He didn't need her meddling in his life. And less when it dealt with Juvia. Erza had apparently taken it to herself to become his and Juvia's own personal matchmaker. And he did not need another Mira. Fairy Tail had enough with just one matchmaker.

He was enjoying the comfortable silence that settled on their table, when he noticed a pink haired, loud mouthed, fire dragon slayer making his way towards their table. Gray slumped in his seat, not really wanting to deal with that idiot. Though, getting in a fight with him would be a really good distraction. He glanced in Erza's direction and shook that thought away.

But by the look on the pink haired idiot's face, Gray realized he wasn't coming to argue with him. He actually looked pretty out of it. Like there was something that was really bothering the dense dragon slayer.

Natsu took the seat next to Erza's, sighing as soon as he joined them.

Gray raised an eyebrow at him, asking, "What's with you, fire breath?"

He crossed his arms over the table, mumbling, "I don't get what the big deal is about tomorrow. Isn't it just another day?"

Gray sighed, raising his glass of water to his lips and taking a few swigs. It wasn't a big deal really, well at least not to him. Apparently it was for Juvia. "Not to everyone." He muttered. His eyes then caught a glimpse of blue locks. Juvia was walking passed the double doors leading to the kitchen, Mira giggling beside her and whispering something to her ear, making the water mage blush.

"It's a cliche holiday, just to make us all go out to spend our jewels on chocolates." Erza's calm voice made Gray look away from Juvia, raising an eyebrow at the Titania as she nodded at her own words and forked another chunk of her favorite flavored cake.

Natsu watched her with a pensive look, mumbling, "Why do we have to buy chocolates?"

Gray almost wanted to roll his eyes at the idiot's stupidity. But he only sighed, deciding to answer his stupid question. He'd be doing Lucy a huge favor, after all. She'd waited for this dense idiot to realize his feelings long enough. But before he could even utter a word, Mira stopped at their table, having just placed the lemonade he had ordered in front of him.

She stared at Natsu wide eyed as she exclaimed, "How can you not know why chocolates are important on Valentine's day?!"

Natsu shrugged, and Gray finally rolled his eyes. How Lucy had fallen for this hard headed idiot was still a mystery to them all.

Mira took hold of Natsu's arm then, pulling him away from the table as she stated, "I'll tell you all about it! I'm sure a certain someone is going to thank me later!"

The dragon slayer raised an eyebrow and asked, "Who?"

Gray just shook his head. Dense, very dense.

Mira giggled, dragging him towards the bar counter and winking back at Natsu over her shoulder, "It's a secret."

Gray almost snorted. It really wasn't. Everyone knew except the dragon slayer himself. If he wasn't such an idiot they'd be together by now. It was long overdue and his blonde friend deserved to be happy.

Sighing yet again as he watched the confused look on his rival's face, Gray shook his head and murmured, "Idiot."

Erza then dropped the fork she'd been using on her now empty plate, taking a napkin to clean the corners of her mouth. She then gave Gray a hard look, making him sit straight in his seat as a shiver ran down his back.

"Are you going to do something with Juvia?" She suddenly questioned, and Gray raised an eyebrow at her.

He looked down and shook his head. When he glanced back at the scarlet haired woman, he realized she wasn't at all satisfied with his answer, so instead he countered with, "How 'bout you?" Erza raised an eyebrow, somewhat confused by his question and Gray smirked, "Aren't you doing something with Jellal?"

Her cheeks turned a deep red at the mentioning of her childhood friend's name and she shook her head. "O-of c-course not!" She stuttered, her cheeks turning the same shade of her hair. "I don't even know where he's at!" She looked down then, frowning as she stared at her empty plate. Her eyes lowered to the ground and she whispered, "He could be anywhere."

Gray could see the hurt in his friend's eyes, and he immediately regretted asking her.

But before he could apologize, she abruptly stood up and stated, "I'm going to make some cookies for myself!" And with that she went off to the kitchen, where all the girls were at.

He chuckled as he watched her walk away, hoping Mira was supervising the kitchen while the Titania was in there.

Staring at the melting ice in his glass, Gray sighed. He was finally alone. Sometimes, he like it best this way. Shutting himself off, it was just a part of who he was.

"Gray-sama!" He reluctantly turned at the sound of that high pitched voice. A smiling Juvia greeted him as soon as he turned in his seat. She was holding a chocolate cake to him, putting it so close to his face he had to move his head back. "Juvia worked really hard on this cake and she'd like for Gray-sama to try it! Juvia really wants to know if it's good enough!"

Gray rubbed the back of his neck as he eyed the heart shaped cake and then looked to the side, "I already told you-"

"This isn't for Gray-sama!" She exclaimed before he could finish speaking. He raised an eyebrow, not believing her at all. "It's for Fairy Tail's party!"

He eyed the blushing mage, still not believing her but he sighed and nodded. He really couldn't say no to her when she looked at him with those bright blue eyes of hers.

Juvia smiled brightly at him, placing the cake down at the table and handing Gray a fork. She then sat down in front of him, her hands cupping her cheeks as she stared at him with bright cheeks.

Gray watched her, his heart suddenly beating a little louder than it had before. He blinked, shaking his thoughts away, when he noticed her motioning for him to eat, "Please go right ahead, Gray-sama."

He nodded, taking the fork as he mumbled, "Thank you for the food."

Juvia's cheeks turned a bright red as Gray finally tried a piece of her cake, her heart thumping madly in her chest as he chewed on a piece of cake. His eyes widened, and Juvia's heart stopped, not knowing if that was a good sign or a bad one. But then his arms wrapped around his stomach and he curled forward, his bangs covering his eyes as he made a sound that made Juvia's hands tremble, "Guh-"

Was he disgusted by it?! Had it not cooked right?! Juvia's eyes were wide with worry.

"Gray-sama?! Is Gray-sama okay?!"

His body started trembling and Juvia bit her bottom lip, a knot forming in her throat. "Juvia." He suddenly spoke and she blinked at him, fearing that she had infact, made her precious Gray-sama sick. He then looked up at her with a wide grin, one that made her heart quicken, he didn't smile at her like that very often. Chuckling he said, "Just kidding."

Juvia's eyes widened, her tense shoulders slumping and her mouth almost falling open with disbelief. "Gray-sama… was just kidding?"

He nodded, his grin only widening. "Sorry Juvia. I just thought it'd be fun messing with you a little." Juvia blinked up at him and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "It's actually delicious. Best chocolate cake I've had in long time."

Juvia's lips curled up into a smile as she watched him. Her precious Gray-sama was showing her a new side of him. She was happy, too happy. Maybe some other girl would have been mad at his actions, but not Juvia. "Juvia's glad!"

Gray's eyes widened and a small smile slowly took form on his lips. This girl was sometimes too good to him. She was a little too perfect. And it dawned on him then that he really didn't deserve her. He looked down at the table, frowning as he stared at the cake she had baked for him. He should let her find someone that would treasure her. He should let her be happy. He needed to stop being selfish.

Taking another bite from her chocolate cake, he realized how bittersweet it was. Not literally. More like he was describing his own feelings. He was happy, happy that she had taken the time to share this sweet cake with him. But he was also miserable. He was a broken boy that wasn't at all ready to open his heart to this special girl.

"Gray-sama?" He looked up at the sound of her voice, chewing onto another piece of cake. Juvia looked down, her hands crossed over the table and her cheeks a dark red. "Juvia really loves Gray-sama."

His eyes widened as soon as she confessed to him. It wasn't the first time. No, this was probably the 100th time she's ever professed her love for him. But this time, it had affected him more than it had ever before. His heart thumped faster and his hands became sweaty.

He dropped the fork he had been holding on the table, averting his gaze from hers. He couldn't say it back. He couldn't reciprocate her feelings. Not yet… And suddenly, it pained him. It pained him not being able to say it back. Because, he suddenly really wanted to. He really wanted to fall in love with her. And that realization was freaking him out.

"I'm sorry, Juvia…" He suddenly whispered, still not able to face her. Was she crying? Had he hurt her once again? Was he causing her pain? His hand curled into fists under the table, really hating himself for not being able to make her happy.

Juvia's eyes widened at his words. She frowned as she watched him struggle to look at her. She didn't want him to feel uncomfortable. That hadn't been her intention. She knew he didn't feel the same way. And she was okay with it. She smiled fondly at him, her smile full of love and adoration.

"It's okay, Gray-sama." He then finally looked up at her, a faint blush covering his cheeks as her eyes caught his. They were bright, almost shining with determination. "Rejection is only the beginning! Just like a greeting!"

Gray's eyes widened as he stared at her, yet again surprised by her words. How the hell had he gotten so lucky? He'd never know. He looked down and grinned as she stated, "Juvia will wait for Gray-sama, however long it may be."

Her eyes were sharp as they caught his once again. Gray's grin only widened and he shook his head. She really was special.

He could only hope he wouldn't leave her waiting too long.

* * *

Gray stared at the darkening sky. Today was Valentine's day. He had been debating all day whether or not to go to the guild's party. In the end, he dragged himself out of bed. A special blue haired girl being his only reason for wanting to go. He didn't want to disappoint her once again. She had probably worked really hard on his chocolate treat and he wasn't going to let it go to waste.

It was windy outside, and Gray walked back into his apartment, taking a jacket and then glanced at the first drawer of his dresser. He grinned and took the grey scarf. The cold didn't really affect him, but he really wanted to see her smile. And he knew she would when she saw him wearing that scarf. He didn't mind looking like the dense idiot dragon slayer for a day if it got him a smile out of her.

Just as he was making his way towards the large doors that served as the guild's entrance, Gray noticed another figure also making her way there. She was holding onto a pink bag, her cheeks a bright red color as she continued on her way, still not noticing him.

"Oi, Juvia!" He suddenly called before he could stop himself. She looked up immediately at the sound of his voice. She smiled brightly when her blue eyes caught his darker ones.

"Happy Valentine's day, Gray-sama!" She said as she made her way towards him. He chuckled and nodded, not saying it back but she didn't really mind.

Her eyes then fell on the scarf that was wrapped around his neck. Her eyes widened as soon as she realized it was the scarf she had knitted for him. "Gray-sama's wearing it!"

He grinned and then scratched the back of his head, all of the sudden feeling a little bashful. "Yeah. It's kinda cold tonight." Lame excuse. He had just wanted to wear it to make her happy. But he'd never admit that to her.

She raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile making it's way on her lips. "But Gray-sama is never cold."

He shrugged, and then pointed at the bag she held onto, trying to change the topic as he asked, "What's that?"

She flushed and looked down at it as she whispered, "For Gray-sama."

Closing her eyes, she extended the bag towards him, awaiting for him to take it or reject her once again. He sighed and she bit her lip, fearing the worst. "I told you, Juvia, you didn't have to get me anything." He looked away as soon as she opened her eyes.

"But Juvia wanted to!" Gray glanced back at her again, eyes wide. She smiled at him. "Juvia only wants Gray-sama to know that Juvia will always be here for Gray-sama, no matter what. So please, Gray-sama, don't close your heart to Juvia."

He stared at her wide eyed, his cheeks flushing a light pink color and his heart beating madly. How did she always say the right thing at the right time? How could she possibly understand him better than anyone else had before? How did she always know what he was thinking? What he was going through?

Gray couldn't stop himself from doing what he did next. He didn't care anymore. He needed her warmth. He needed her beside him. He _wanted_ her beside him. Always.

He hugged her to him, his arms wrapping tightly around her. Juvia's eyes widened and she whispered, "Gray-sama?"

His arms tightened around her, not wanting to let her go anytime soon. "Just a minute, can we stay like this, please?" He whispered. Her eyes widened more, if possible, and she nodded.

Wrapping her arms around his back, Juvia held him closer to her, her tears blinding her. This all felt like a dream to her and she didn't want to wake up.

Closing her eyes, the tears finally ran down her cheeks. She buried her face into his chest then, a wide smile never leaving her lips. She suddenly felt very warm and safe. Could she finally get her hopes up? She didn't know. So instead of worrying about it, she only enjoyed the moment. But when she heard and felt his loud and fast heartbeats, she realized that maybe, just maybe, she could get her hopes up.

After a long while of standing in that position, just enjoying each others warmth, Gray stepped back. Juvia looked up at him as soon as his warm hands left her back. He smiled lovingly at her and her cheeks burned red, her heart beating wildly in her chest.

He then cupped her cheek, his thumb rubbing away the tears that had fallen down her cheeks. "You're very persistent, you know that?"

Juvia's eyes widened, and she averted her gaze from his. He startled her when he took her chin in his fingers and gently tilted it up, drawing her eyes to his face. She couldn't stop herself from staring at his handsome face, her cheeks burning a darker shade of red, one that resembled Erza's scarlet hair.

"You're also very cute." He then whispered into her ear and her eyes widened more, if possible. Before she could even utter a word, she felt his soft lips press a kiss on her forehead. She felt like she was about to faint. And she probably would have, if he hadn't wrapped an arm around the small of her back, and whispered into her ear, "Thank you, Juvia."

Her loved had catched him, and now, he was finally letting go. She brought out the best in him. And though he still carried many ghosts, Juvia was beside him, helping him overcome them.

Gray had showed Juvia the clear, blue sky, taking the rain away. He had been her light. And now, she was his.

She was slowly melting the ice around his heart.

And he wasn't going to stop her.

Maybe his story would have a happy ending after all.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Like, hate it, love it? Please leave a review and let me know what you thought about it!**

 **I know Valentine's day was months ago but I started this chapter back in February and barely had the chance to get back to it and finish it! Hopefully you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it! I've suddenly become a huge Gruvia shipper and I really wanted to write something about them. And then this idea popped up. This story is actually intertwined with my NaLu one shot called Red Velvet and White Chocolate that I published back in February lol. If you ship NaLu than please go check it out!**

 **There will be a second chapter for this story! It will be for White Day and I will have it up by Friday. ;)**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **~ Blue ~**


	2. A Bittersweet White Day

_Disclaimer: Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail!_

* * *

 **Bittersweet Chocolate Cake**

 _ **White Day**_

 _Without him realizing it, she had changed everything. With one smile, everything was suddenly better._

If there was a holiday he disliked more than Valentine's day, it was White Day. Gray wasn't the romantic type. Not even close. So having to go out and get something for his special someone was not going to be an easy task. And less when he was suddenly stuck with going with the world's biggest idiot.

He had arrived at the guild on this fateful day earlier than usual, wanting to get a drink and maybe find some job to take. But just as he had sat down at the bar and watched Cana drink from her large barrel of alcohol, he heard Mira chastising Natsu. He sighed, this wasn't a good sign.

"You have to get her something!" Mira scolded the fire dragon slayer, who only raised an eyebrow, looking very confused.

"Why?" he asked, scratching the back of his neck.

The barmaid looked exasperated as she answered, "Because it's White Day!" When the dragon slayer still held the same confused expression, Mira elaborated tiredly, "On this day men are supposed to give return gifts to women who gifted them chocolates on Valentine's Day!"

Gray's back stiffened at Mira's words. So today was _that_ day? He groaned.

Natsu's mouth opened in an 'O' shape and he nodded. "Alright!"

Mira grinned. "It's also been a month since you two have been dating, right?" Natsu blushed and nodded, making Mira giggle. "Than the gift you get her should be extra special! Something that'll make her very happy!"

Sighing, Natsu dropped his head over the bar counter. "But I have no idea what to get her…" He turned to his blue exceed, that had been sitting on top of the counter, chewing onto a fish. "What ideas do you have, Happy?"

The cat grinned. "You should get her fish!"

Natsu was considering that and Gray rolled his eyes. He sure was a huge idiot.

Mira sweat dropped as Natsu nodded at his partners words. She was all too ready to reject the idea when Gray stated, "You're an idiot, fire breath! You get her a fish and you'll surely be dumped tonight!"

The dragon slayer's eyebrows twitched. "Oh really? Says the guy who doesn't even have a girlfriend!"

Gray's hands curled up into fists, "I could have a girlfriend if I wanted to!" He spat, a vein popping out on his forehead.

Natsu snorted, "Yeah right. You haven't even made a move on Juvia!"

Gray had had enough of this loudmouth, and took a swing at his head, but the pink haired mage avoided it with ease, grinning from ear to ear at Gray's angry face.

Mira stepped between the two rivals, that were now getting dangerously close. She really didn't want them to get into a pointless brawl, not when they had more pending issues to get to- that she wanted them to get to, to be precise. "Stop it, you two!" She yelled, dropping one hand on each of their chests to push them apart. "Instead of fighting over this, you should instead go out together and get something for your special girls!" She declared and both their eyes widened in shock.

"What!" They both yelled, their mouths falling open as they pointed at each other.

"I'm not going anywhere with that fiery mouth breather!"

"I'm not spending a day with the ice princess!"

"Yes you are!" Someone declared and they both froze in fear.

Erza stepped up to them, arms crossed over her chest as she glared at Gray and then at Natsu. "You two idiots need all the help you can get! And maybe you can help each other get something decent for the girls that got you chocolates on Valentine's day!"

"But-" They tried to argue but Erza stopped them yet again with a death glare.

"It's an order!"

"Aye sir!" They both mimicked Happy, not wanting to go against Erza's orders. They both knew the hell they'd get if they did.

Mira was ecstatic as she watched the two boys grumble under their breaths as they walked out of the guild together, Happy following after them. Two girls would surely be very happy tonight.

Cana stopped drinking for once, eyebrows furrowed as she watched the guild doors shut close after the two idiots. "Do you really think it was a good idea sending those two together?"

Erza and Mira exchanged a look, finally realizing what exactly they had done. They shrugged. The worst that could happen was them getting in a fight and destroying half the town. They then sweat dropped, sharing another look.

"I'm sure they'll be fine." Mira answered, a hesitant smile taking form on her lips.

The Titania nodded, sitting down on the counter as Kinana handed her her favorite flavored cake.

Lisanna, who had silently been standing behind the bar, shared a worried look with Kinana, hoping those two would not destroy anything. She sighed, she also hoped they'd both get something reasonable for Juvia and Lucy.

* * *

Gray and Natsu walked down Market Street, both feeling a little lost as they stared at all the shop's displays on the tables posted outside. Natsu would stop at almost every shop, finding something 'cool' or 'awesome' to get Lucy. But Gray would roll his eyes every time or glare at the idiot. "She won't like that. Definitely not." He'd say and both Natsu and Happy would frown.

Natsu sighed, dropping the clown hat on the shop's display table. "It would have looked very funny on her!"

Why had those two sent him with this idiot?! Gray groaned. He should have definitely stayed at his apartment today. "And that's exactly why she'll hate it."

Sighing, Natsu continued on to the next stand, ogling at the meat, and Gray had to pull him away by his scarf before he spent all his jewels on food. "We didn't come here for food."

Glaring at the ice mage, the dragon slayer than raised an eyebrow, a cocky smile on his lips, "Sooo, are you getting something for Juvia?"

Gray's eyebrows twitched when he saw the dragon slayer wiggle his eyebrows at him. "Didn't you hear what Mira said? Or are you that stupid?" Natsu didn't seem fazed by his insults. Gray glared at him. "I kinda have to since she gave me chocolates." He muttered.

Natsu snorted. "Right. Keep telling yourself that."

Hands curling into fists, Gray shoved the dragon slayer from his side, making him burst out in laughter. "Just admit it! You love her!"

"I do not." The ice mage gritted. Natsu raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

Gray only nodded, distracting himself by staring at the displays in the next shop.

Sighing, Natsu shrugged, an exasperated look on his face as he stared at his long time rival. "All I'm saying is that if you don't tell her soon, you're gonna lose her. Doesn't Lyon have a huge crush on her?"

Gray dropped the plush he had been looking at, his eyebrows twitching as he turned to the grinning fire dragon slayer. He had finally gotten under his skin. "I'm not losing her to anyone." He muttered and Natsu's grin widened.

"Aha! You love her!"

"I don't!"

"You do!"

"I said no!"

Happy placed his paws over his grinning face as he rolled his tongue, "He lliiiiiikes her!"

And not long after that, Gray tackled Natsu to the ground. The two wrestled on the floor, nearly knocking the a shop's display table as Gray pinned Natsu down and gritted, "You really are a pain in the ass!"

The shop's owner shrieked, yelling at the two boys to stop it. People around them rushed away, giving them disapproving looks.

"Uhm… You guys shouldn't fight. If Erza finds out about this you two will be in major trouble!" Happy warned them, but the two mages ignored him.

"Just admit you love her! You know, it's not so bad admitting it!" He smirked when Gray glared at him. He then yelled at the top of his lungs, "I love Lucy Heartfilia!" A couple of people raised questioning eyebrows at the two boys, some whispering to each other as they recognized them as Fairy Tail mages. Natsu smirked at Gray, "See? It wasn't so bad. It's actually not bad at all. It's great!"

"It's not so easy for me!" Gray suddenly admitted, throwing a fist at the annoying dragon slayer's face, making him fly across the street and hit into one of the stands. The people there screamed.

Natsu groaned, slowly standing up from the table he had landed on. The shop's owner, a tall, very huge man glared down at the pink haired teen and Natsu sweat dropped, grinning sheepishly. "Sorry 'bout that sir."

And with that, they were banned from Market Street. Natsu slumped his shoulders as they walked aimlessly around the streets of Magnolia. Gray was glaring down at the pavement, cursing the dragon slayer every chance he got.

Happy sighed as he sat down atop his partner's head. "You two really messed up this time." He shook his head, shuddering at the thought of the scarlet haired Titania. "And you'll be in major trouble once _she_ finds out about this."

The two boys shuddered, already knowing what they'll get from Erza. Pain, a lot of it.

Natsu slowed his steps when he noticed a flower shop across the street. A light bulb went on in his head. "I'm gonna get Lucy flowers!" He declared, running off to the shop.

Gray sighed, walking after the dragon slayer. Flowers? Would Juvia like that? He shook that thought away. No, not flowers. It had to be something else. Something… something that in a way, would convey all the feelings he had been locking up inside of him for far too long.

It was a small shop, with potted plants and fresh flowers adorning the front. When Gray stepped in, a bell chimed above him. He noticed Natsu looking around the shop, staring at the neatly kept plants and flowers inside, scratching his chin as he asked Happy which ones Lucy would like.

"Welcome!" said an older woman, a gentle smile on her face as she regarded the two mages.

Natsu looked up at the woman and waved, greeting her back with a "Yo!" and walking up to her as she questioned from behind the counter, "What can I help you with?"

The dragon slayer's cheeks suddenly turned a light shade of pink as he mumbled, "I want to get my girlfriend a bouquet of flowers." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "But I don't know what exactly to buy. I'm not really good at this."

Gray grinned down at the floor. That idiot could really get embarrassed, huh? It's like he was a different person when he talked about Lucy. Would he too change? His cheeks darkened at the thought of a pretty, blue haired water mage

The woman behind the counter smiled understandingly. "Of course, I'll do my best to help." She looked around the shop and then looked back up at Natsu. "This girl is special, correct?"

Natsu nodded, his cheeks a dark red now. "Very."

She smiled kindly and then suggested, "How about a bouquet of red roses?"

Looking at the bouquet she had just suggested, Natsu's eyes brightened and he grinned, "Yeah, those are perfect."

Not long after, the two mages and the exceed were stepping out of the flower shop, with Natsu wearing a content smile as he carried a bouquet of red roses, with a big red bow tied around it. "Lucy's definitely gonna be surprised!"

"Aye!" His cat agreed. Gray chuckled, for once, this idiot had come up with a good idea.

Gray's shoulders slumped. He had yet gotten anything for Juvia.

Glancing at the ice mage, Natsu suggested, "There's a jewelry shop just a block away from here that Lucy loves… If you want, we can go check it out. Maybe you'll find something for Juvia there."

Gray's eyes widened a little at Natsu's suggestion and he nodded, deciding it wasn't such a bad idea. Grinning, the dragon slayer led the way towards the shop. Once they got there, the shop's employee behind the glass counter greeted the pink haired teen with a wide smile. "Are you here to get something for Lucy-san?!" The young girl asked excitedly, making Natsu blush.

"No, not today." The girl frowned. Natsu motioned his head towards Gray, who was already looking around the shop. "This dumb ass is looking for something to get for his girl."

Gray glared at the dragon slayer, ready to comment that Juvia was not _his_ girl, but stopped when the girl smiled at him and said, "Is this for a special occasion? Maybe for White Day?" Her eyes were shining with curiosity and Gray cheeks turned a light pink as he looked down and whispered, "Kind of… Yeah."

Both Natsu and Happy snickered at him and Gray was all too ready to punch the dragon slayer but stopped himself. He didn't want to cause another rackus. The Titania would really kill them both if he did.

The young girl soon had all different kinds of displays out for Gray to see, suggesting different types of jewelry pieces to get Juvia. She was currently showing him a charm bracelet and he shook his head. No, that didn't suit Juvia.

Natsu and Happy were also looking at the girl's suggestions, putting their own input when they saw something they thought Juvia would like. But Gray would shake his head, rejecting their ideas almost instantly. He wanted it to be special… He wanted to see it and just know she would definitely like it. Though, she would like anything _he_ got her. But still, he wanted it to suit her.

And then he saw it. Rose, the young employee's name, had just taken the display out when his eyes brightened. He had seen that necklace before. A month ago. His fingers gravitated toward it, just like they had the last time he had seen it.

He held up the necklace, dangling from his fingers as he grinned at it. The clear teardrop crystal was shining before his eyes. This necklace, it really reminded him of her. It would definitely suit Juvia.

"I'm taking this one." He told Rose and she smiled, nodding as she took it from him to wrap it in a box.

"Here it is! I'm sure your special girl will love it!" The young girl winked at Gray and he blushed, taking the long, thin blue box with a white bow on top of it from her.

"I sure hope so." He smiled back and she giggled.

"Well, this didn't turn out so bad." Happy mused as they walked back to the guild.

Natsu and Gray shared a look, breaking into a grin as they chuckled. "Yeah, it didn't." They both agreed.

As soon as they stepped into the guild, they were met by the angry looks of both Erza and Mira. "We heard about what happened at Market Street! You two imbeciles better have a good explanation!" Erza glared daggers at the two, and they shrieked, taking a step away from her as they struggled to find a 'good' explanation.

"Oh, it was nothing serious, Erza!" Happy tried to help them out. Erza raised an eyebrow, curious about what the cat had to say. "Gray was just too scared to admit he loved Juvia so they got into an argument!"

Mira squealed while Erza's eyes widened. She would never tell this to anyone, but if she rooted for anyone to get together and be happy, it was for those two. She smiled a small smile down at the guild's floor. But then she remembered all the destructions they had caused and frowned again. Before she could give the two a piece of her mind, Lisanna exclaimed, "Erza-san! A delivery for you just arrived!"

She was holding a medium sized, brown box and Erza's eyebrows raised, not at all sure who could have sent her this. She took it, raising her index finger at the two boys, indicating she'd finish what she started with them after opening the box.

But as soon as she did, her cheeks turned the exact same color as her hair. The brown box fell to the floor near her feet, her mouth opening and closing as she stared at the teddy bear in her hands. "W-who…" Mira giggled, taking the card that had been placed inside the box. "From Jellal!" She exclaimed and with that, the Titania fainted, Mira and Lisanna catching her just in time.

Gray and Natsu fled the scene before the Titania awakened, not wanting to deal with her wrath today. They both silently thanked Jellal and Lisanna's timing as they searched the guild for their special girls.

To their surprise, the two girls had been sitting together at one of the many tables in the guild. When they got to their table, Lucy was giggling while Juvia was blushing madly.

The celestial mage noticed them first, waving at them as she said, "Hey you two! Whatcha been up to today?"

Natsu blushed, hiding the bouquet of roses behind his back and shrugged. "Not much." Gray grinned, that really was an understatement. They had been out for hours trying to figure out what to get them.

"Hello Gray-sama!" Juvia finally greeted, completely disregarding Natsu. Gray chuckled, mumbling a 'hey.' He too was hiding the gift he had gotten for her in his jacket.

Natsu was the first to make a move. He set the bouquet of red roses right in front of his girlfriend, a huge grin on his face. "For White Day," he explained when Lucy's wide brown eyes caught his. Then his cheeks turned a blush very similar to his hair, and he tried as much as he could to hide them with his scarf. "And also for our one month anniversary." He mumbled.

Lucy's face broke into a huge, bright smile and she tackled him into a hug. "I love them!" She exclaimed, her arms wrapping tightly around his waist, and Natsu's face went completely red. Her face was pressed snugly against the crook of his neck as she whispered, "Happy anniversary, Natsu."

He chuckled then, finally wrapping his arms around the small of her back, hugging her back. Looking up at her pink haired boyfriend, Lucy smiled lovingly at him as she tugged him down to her level and pressed her lips against his, not caring about all the catcalls they were getting from their guildmates. The kiss was short and sweet, and when it was over Lucy was blushing madly, looking down and trying to avoid Natsu's wide eyes. "Thank you for the roses." She spluttered, blushing even more. "A-and I-I love you." The cheers and catcalls from their guildmates only got louder after that.

When Lucy finally looked up, Natsu was beaming at her. He was grinning the grin she oh so loved, the one she had fallen for the moment he first sent it her way. Before she could say anything else, Natsu cupped her face and leaned down to capture her lips once more. This one was longer, more passionate, and her mind swirled all while her knees went weak.

They only broke apart when Gray cleared his throat, murmuring, "Get a room you two."

Lucy's face exploded with color and she pushed Natsu off of her, stuttering, "S-shut u-up Gray!"

The ice mage chuckled at her reaction, watching her grab her bouquet of roses and then drag her boyfriend out of the guild. Catcalls and cheers followed after them, which only made the celestial mage blush even more, if possible.

After those two had left the guild, Gray finally took the seat besides the blushing water mage. Her eyes were wide and she was silently wishing she too would be kissed like Lucy had by the love of her life. She then turned to stare at Gray logindly, making him swallow audibly and look away.

"Uh, Juvia…" He started, rubbing the back of his neck.

Juvia scooted closer to him, making his heart go into overdrive. "Yes, Gray-sama?"

Her heart was beating with anticipation as she watched him fumble with something inside his jacket. Juvia's eyes widened when he dropped a long, thin box in her hands. She looked down at it and then back up at Gray in question. "W-what is this for, Gray-sama?"

He was still not looking at her as he answered, "It's for White Day. A thank you gift." It was so much more than that, he knew that. But he was still not ready to tell her that… Or maybe her was. He didn't know. He wasn't very good at expressing his feelings.

Glancing down at her, his eyes widened when he saw her looking down at the box lovingly. She then looked up at him and his mouth dropped opened, barely noticing the tears in her eyes. "J-juvia! Are you okay? Did I do something? I-I'm so sorry! Please don't cry!" He wasn't good with crying girls. Never had been. And he got worse when it was _her_ that was crying.

Juvia shook her head. "Juvia is perfectly fine! Ecstatic actually! These are happy tears, Gray-sama!" She grinned up at him and his heart almost stopped. She was beautiful.

He cleared his throat and looked away again. "Oh, well, that's great. Really great." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck as he stared at the floor. He felt really awkward all of the sudden. Why did he have the sudden urge to kiss her?

Scooting closer to him, Juvia rested her head on Gray's shoulder, making his back stiffen. He glanced down at her slowly, eyes wide as her blue eyes caught his. "Juvia loves Gray-sama."

He felt everything freeze then. He didn't care about the people surrounding him, he didn't care what they would say or that they might start cheering and catcalling them like they had with Natsu and Lucy, all he could think about then was her. How beautiful she looked, how her lips looked so soft, how her eyes were so bright and how his heart wouldn't calm down.

He took her chin then and lifted her head up, her eyes wide as he brought her lips to his. It was a sweet and short kiss, but it had been enough to make his hands shake and his heart thump madly in his chest.

When they broke apart, Juvia was blinking up at him, her hands coming up to cup her cheeks as she looked around the room, hearing and seeing guild mates cheering for them. "Finally!" Cana yelled from the bar counter.

Gray blushed and looked down, a little embarrassed by his actions. He should have definitely done this in private.

"G-Gray-sama?" Juvia finally spoke and he looked down at her, watching her hands bunch the ends of her skirt, her knuckles turning white as she stuttered, "W-what… W-why did… W-why did Gray-sama do that?"

He rested his forehead on hers, making her eyes widen yet again. "I can't kiss my girl?"

Her entire face turned red. "Gray-sama's… g-girl?" She repeated slowly and he grinned. She really was cute.

Gray only nodded, his grin widening as he leaned down and captured her lips with his once again.

He had been afraid to love someone. Afraid that he'd lose them if he did. Because he had lost so many people he loved. He just couldn't take losing someone else. That's why he shut himself from anyone that tried to get too close to him. But with Juvia, he just couldn't stop her. She was always there, encouraging him, smiling at him, supporting him and loving him, even when he tried to push her away, she kept persisting, never giving up.

He was afraid of loving her. But it was hard not to. Really hard.

So when she whispered, "Juvia really loves Gray-sama."

He whispered back, "And Gray loves Juvia. More than she can imagine."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Love, like it, hate it? Please leave a review and let me know!**

 **Soo, this is the end of this two shot. I really hope you enjoyed it! If you are interested in finding out how Natsu and Lucy became an item please go check out their one shot titled** _ **Red Velvet and White Chocolate**_ **. This is also a Valentine's day fanfic :D**

 **Thank you so much to those of you that took the time to review the first chapter! And also a huge thank you to those who followed and favorited this story ;)**

 **Tishimoo: Thank you for sharing lol! I actually wrote what Natsu and Lucy did that same day Gray finally figured out his feelings for Juvia a while back! I published it back in February haha. It's titled** _ **Red Velvet and White Chocolate**_ **if you want to check it out! ;)**

 **Kaylacutiepop: I'm glad you liked it! ;D**

 **Liraaz: Thank you! I'm so happy you loved it! :)**

 **Thank you so much for reading!**

 **~ Blue ~**


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